One peaceful afternoon I picked up from my mailbox the strangest looking letter I'd ever seen, a chilling little envelope bordered with flying bats, and eerie serpents whose eyes were tinted green. The letter was addressed to me so as I opened it I froze. What I read turned my complexion three shades of blue. It said, 'My name is Isaac Horowitz. I'm a male witch, a warlock and I feel I need to spend some time with you.'
Now as a Christian from a little church with God's call on my life, a man of faith and power with a challenge to grow I did what any saint would do in my situation. I tore it up said, 'Lord, no way I'm gonna go.' Then gently and methodically the Holy Spirit spoke and reminded me we're God's voice to our nation. It's the church's responsibility to witness, so reluctantly I accepted this witch's invitation.
He had the house you'd expect, the old English cottage, a 'Nightmare on Elm Street' special right to the core, the overgrown ivy, the gate that creaked when opened, somehow you'd expect Freddy to answer this door. The doorbell rang, a hollow gong, the knob twisted then opened, and Isaac stood before me with a grin. His jet black hair and well trimmed beard flowed with his black silk clothes. My skin crawled as he said, 'Please come on in.'
His house was filled with every occultic symbol you could fathom; Hanging pentagrams and horoscope signs, a Ouija board and dungeons and dragons game set on the table, a crystal ball with an incandescent shine. Then graciously he handed me some steaming herbal tea. Its presence caused my memory to jog...I thought of every horror flick I'd seen when I was a kid and thought 'man if you drink this stuff next day you'll be a frog.'
Then he led me to a high backed chair as he meticulously began to unfold his scenario with evil patience. I was given a giant leather bound book jammed with newspaper clippings, thus the reason for this witch's invitation. With eagerness he pointed to each article with pride. He said, 'I healed this woman through a Babylonian chant; You see this man, I cured him while performing druid worship; I was paid to curse this man with AIDS by his aunt.'
On and on, page after page, delightfully he flaunted each incident for an hour without a breath. He said, 'Do you realize through my understanding of the dark regions that I can make you rich or even curse someone to death?' I sat literally intimidated by his immensity in demon power while his face shone with a satanic arrogant bliss. Then placing his hands on the arms of my chair and leaning into my face he said, 'What can your God do to compete with this?'
I knew then how Moses felt, when his rod turned to a serpent and the three Egyptian magicians did the same. It's as if you're sitting there in that stunned moment while your faith gets violated and all you feel is weak, powerless and lame. I desperately and deeply prayed saying, 'Jesus give me wisdom - I don't want to put you through some foolish test. Then a shaft of light shot through my soul igniting my eyes with fire. God stood me up and I threw the book back in his chest.
I said 'Isaac, I'll not compare God's miracles versus Satan's - the issue's not God's kingdom and Satan's lair. The real comparison is the condition of your soul and the condition of mine, and you puppet of the devil, that I will compare. I said, My friend, one day they're coming for you - the soft associates in your incantations - the friendly demons you think you now control. The time will come when you'll be lying in bed wheezing like a dying animal and those spirits lay claim to the rights they own to your soul.'
'Then the room will grow dark, and the most hideous evil faces you ever seen will come flaming out of the floor with a yell! The vile informants that promised reincarnation will claw your spirit and victoriously drag your soul to hell!'
Then I grabbed the book and said, 'In that moment which mantra, which incantation you gonna chant to tell them to leave you alone? I said, My friend, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt what I would say...'I'm bought with the blood of Jesus! Let me go!' '
I said, 'Isaac, when you tossed that book in my lap, you gloated with a sinister victory. You rejoiced when you saw your name in black and white. Now I rejoice, but not that your counsel of demons are subject to Jesus, but that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life!' Then Isaac jumped up from his chair and screamed, 'You must leave now!' I said, 'I will, but one last obligation - Next time think twice before you rumble with a man of God!!! And by the way thanks for your.. uhh... witch's invitation.
9/21/09
Carman - Witch's Invitation
9/19/09
The Dark Night Of The Soul
"You have to pass through a dark night of the soul. Everyone does, including you. A time comes when what you have always believed is true melts away underneath you. When you cast in doubt even the most obvious, the most simple. When it seems that dark night is all around, and you are all alone. Take heart, this journey through abyss is the final barrier before your emergence into the heavenly light of a new synthesis of your being. God is waiting for you on the other side."
I thought this came only once in a person's life, but I think it comes through every major period of tribulation in a person's life. Just when I thought I've seen it all, I find myself getting put through it over and over again. Why has my life always been so full of such extreme challenges and tribulations? Oddly enough, I think there is something special about that. I used to think it was a curse, but now I see it as a blessing in disguise. What the devil wants to use in order to hurt me, God takes it and turns it into a blessing. Wow, so amazing really. It still doesn't change the fact that it's very scary and painful to go through. Why would anyone want to go through a dark tunnel not knowing what's going to happen? But, the result is a major blessing. You will get through it and you will come out on top. So, here I go again through the valley of troubles so that I will again claim victory on that mountain-top. Only God working through me can enable me to be able to say all that.
I thought this came only once in a person's life, but I think it comes through every major period of tribulation in a person's life. Just when I thought I've seen it all, I find myself getting put through it over and over again. Why has my life always been so full of such extreme challenges and tribulations? Oddly enough, I think there is something special about that. I used to think it was a curse, but now I see it as a blessing in disguise. What the devil wants to use in order to hurt me, God takes it and turns it into a blessing. Wow, so amazing really. It still doesn't change the fact that it's very scary and painful to go through. Why would anyone want to go through a dark tunnel not knowing what's going to happen? But, the result is a major blessing. You will get through it and you will come out on top. So, here I go again through the valley of troubles so that I will again claim victory on that mountain-top. Only God working through me can enable me to be able to say all that.
9/17/09
The 30 Life Principles
By Charles F. Stanley
1. Our intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - determines the impact of our lives.
2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
3. God's Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
4. The awareness of God's presence energizes us for our work.
5. God does not require us to understand His will, just to obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
14. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
15. Brokenness is God's requirement for maximum usefulness.
16. Whatever you acquire outside of God's will eventually turns to ashes.
17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
20. Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
21. Obedience always brings blessing.
22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
23. You can never out give God.
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His Life in and through us.
25. God blesses us so that we might bless others.
26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
27. Prayer is life's greatest time saver.
28. No Christian has ever been called to "go it alone" in his or her walk of faith.
29. We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
30. An eager anticipation of the Lord's return keeps us living productively.
http://ww2.intouch.org/atf/cf/%7B865500FE-874B-487B-A95C-C0B327D0A690%7D/30LifePrinciples.pdf
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
1. Our intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - determines the impact of our lives.
2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
3. God's Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
4. The awareness of God's presence energizes us for our work.
5. God does not require us to understand His will, just to obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
14. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
15. Brokenness is God's requirement for maximum usefulness.
16. Whatever you acquire outside of God's will eventually turns to ashes.
17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
20. Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
21. Obedience always brings blessing.
22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
23. You can never out give God.
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His Life in and through us.
25. God blesses us so that we might bless others.
26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
27. Prayer is life's greatest time saver.
28. No Christian has ever been called to "go it alone" in his or her walk of faith.
29. We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
30. An eager anticipation of the Lord's return keeps us living productively.
http://ww2.intouch.org/atf/cf/%7B865500FE-874B-487B-A95C-C0B327D0A690%7D/30LifePrinciples.pdf
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
9/16/09
Re: Prayer Request (CBN)
It is a blessing to receive your prayer request and to know that you are trusting God to move in those circumstances. We praise God for your faith to believe and for His faithfulness to answer!
We also want to share with you today some mighty promises of God's Word. Our faith is greatly increased as we listen to the Word of God and confess the truth that we hear. And our hearts find rest as we realize how very much the Lord loves us.
In Deuteronomy, we hear Moses speaking to the children of God saying, "Know, therefore, that the Lord your God IS God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands" (Deuteronomy 7:9). Later Moses blessed God's people and said, "He is your shield and your helper and your glorious sword" (Deuteronomy 33:29).
Throughout II Chronicles we hear of God's great love for us and how His love endures forever. Psalm 32:10 declares the Lord's love surrounds the man who trusts in Him, and Psalm 33:5 tells us God loves righteousness and justice.
We stand in agreement with you on these promises: God is loving, faithful, just, and righteous. He will defend us and protect us as we live for Him. May you begin each day with Lamentations 3:22-24: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'"
If you would like a CBN prayer partner to pray with you, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 1-800-759-0700. We care about you and are always here for you. God bless you!
The Christian Broadcasting Network
Website - www.cbn.com
The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center - 1-800-759-0700
We also want to share with you today some mighty promises of God's Word. Our faith is greatly increased as we listen to the Word of God and confess the truth that we hear. And our hearts find rest as we realize how very much the Lord loves us.
In Deuteronomy, we hear Moses speaking to the children of God saying, "Know, therefore, that the Lord your God IS God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands" (Deuteronomy 7:9). Later Moses blessed God's people and said, "He is your shield and your helper and your glorious sword" (Deuteronomy 33:29).
Throughout II Chronicles we hear of God's great love for us and how His love endures forever. Psalm 32:10 declares the Lord's love surrounds the man who trusts in Him, and Psalm 33:5 tells us God loves righteousness and justice.
We stand in agreement with you on these promises: God is loving, faithful, just, and righteous. He will defend us and protect us as we live for Him. May you begin each day with Lamentations 3:22-24: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'"
If you would like a CBN prayer partner to pray with you, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 1-800-759-0700. We care about you and are always here for you. God bless you!
The Christian Broadcasting Network
Website - www.cbn.com
The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center - 1-800-759-0700
Blessed Union Of Souls - I Believe
Walk blindly to the light and reach out for his hand
Don't ask any questions and don't try to understand
Open up your mind and then open up your heart
And you will see that you and me aren't very far apart
'Cause I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
Violence is spread worldwide and there are families on the street
And we sell drugs to children now oh why can't we just see
That all we do is eliminate our future with the things we do today
Money is our incentive now so that makes it okay
But I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
I've been seeing Lisa now for a little over a year
She said she's never been so happy but Lisa lives in fear
That one day daddy's gonna find out she's in love
With a nigger from the streets
Oh how he would lose it then but she's still here with me
'Cause she believes that love will see it through
And one day he'll understand
And he'll see me as a person not just a black man
'Cause I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
I believe I believe I believe I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
Love will find the way
Love will find the way
Love will find the way
Please love find the way
Please love find the way
9/15/09
Adam To Noah - Gospel Message Prophesied In Ancient Biblical Names
Adam To Noah - Redemption Plan In Names
These are the first ten generations of male human beings: Adam, Seth, Enos, Canaan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. These men of the Bible, over 4000 years ago, knew a prophecy of God coming down to earth to save mankind. Most people assume that the story of salvation is only told in the New Testament. But, actually, the story of salvation was revealed from the very beginning. Even the meaning of the names of the first ten generations of men in the Bible reveals the ultimate redemption of mankind through God and how it would happen:
Haadam (Adam) - the first man; ruddy/human; to show blood (in the face)/red
Sheth (Seth) - put, place, set up, appointed
Enosh (Enos) - son of Sheth, a mortal, to be frail/feeble, melancholy
Kenan (Canaan) - fixed, a nest, to erect, habitation, dwelling place
Mahalaleel - Praise of God, blessed God, fame, strength/mighty, be strong, be clear/shine, make a show, rave
Yered (Jared) - a descent, to descend, he shall come down
Chanok (Enoch) - initiated, trained, initiate, narrow, dedicate, consecrate, train up
Methushelach (Methuselah) - man of a dart, an adult, extent, when, missile of attack, to send away/send for/send out
Lemek (Lamech) - son of Methusael/Methuselah; a cative, someone who is ruled
Noach (Noah) - rest, quiet, comfort
Ultimate Translation
Man (Is) Appointed Mortal Sorrow (But) The Blessed God Shall Come Down Teaching (And) His Death Shall Bring The Captives Rest
This is exactly what God did thousands of years later in Jesus. Human beings are appointed mortal sorrow, but the Blessed God came down teaching (Jesus) and His death brought the captives (fallen human beings) rest. It amazes me how deep and rich the Bible really is to see a prophecy like this in something so simple as a name.
These are the first ten generations of male human beings: Adam, Seth, Enos, Canaan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. These men of the Bible, over 4000 years ago, knew a prophecy of God coming down to earth to save mankind. Most people assume that the story of salvation is only told in the New Testament. But, actually, the story of salvation was revealed from the very beginning. Even the meaning of the names of the first ten generations of men in the Bible reveals the ultimate redemption of mankind through God and how it would happen:
Haadam (Adam) - the first man; ruddy/human; to show blood (in the face)/red
Sheth (Seth) - put, place, set up, appointed
Enosh (Enos) - son of Sheth, a mortal, to be frail/feeble, melancholy
Kenan (Canaan) - fixed, a nest, to erect, habitation, dwelling place
Mahalaleel - Praise of God, blessed God, fame, strength/mighty, be strong, be clear/shine, make a show, rave
Yered (Jared) - a descent, to descend, he shall come down
Chanok (Enoch) - initiated, trained, initiate, narrow, dedicate, consecrate, train up
Methushelach (Methuselah) - man of a dart, an adult, extent, when, missile of attack, to send away/send for/send out
Lemek (Lamech) - son of Methusael/Methuselah; a cative, someone who is ruled
Noach (Noah) - rest, quiet, comfort
Ultimate Translation
Man (Is) Appointed Mortal Sorrow (But) The Blessed God Shall Come Down Teaching (And) His Death Shall Bring The Captives Rest
This is exactly what God did thousands of years later in Jesus. Human beings are appointed mortal sorrow, but the Blessed God came down teaching (Jesus) and His death brought the captives (fallen human beings) rest. It amazes me how deep and rich the Bible really is to see a prophecy like this in something so simple as a name.
9/13/09
This guy got stabbed like 20 times but he forgives the guy that did it....
Once near death, now closer to God
Priest stabbed in May recovers in body, mind
By Jaime Powell
Saturday, September 12, 2009
SINTON — Kicked, beaten and stabbed nearly 20 times. Last rites twice in a single day. Still, Father Shaji Varghese harbors no anger toward his attacker.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church could have been the scene of his death four months ago. Instead it’s where he is living one of the most important lessons in the Bible — forgiveness.
“I don’t take this incident as something very bad because this incident taught me so many things,” Varghese said. “It made my vocation more stronger, my loyalty toward God more stronger. I was made more sure that my God is such a caring one. We are not perfect. It made me know that God answers to the prayers and God supports.”
That May 8 morning, David Rodriguez approached Varghese, 42, following Mass asking him to hear his confession. Rodriguez, who has a mentally troubled past, didn’t say anything that led Varghese to believe anything was amiss, the priest said. Varghese listened to the confession.
Minutes later, Varghese was found about 100 yards from the side doorway of the church soaked in his own blood. Rodriguez was arrested about an hour later.
“I was thinking my time was almost over,” Varghese said. “I went to sleep, but on the third day I started seeing people. It was a glad thing to come back to that.”
Rodriguez has remained in the San Patricio County Jail since the stabbing, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is undergoing psychiatric evaluations to determine whether he is competent to stand trial, his attorney David Stith said.
The response from Varghese’s parishioners was immediate — prayer.
“They were stunned,” Varghese said. “And they were scared. I started knowing the community when it happened. This is an incident that brought the community together to pray for a special cause — that is my life. They started working together.”
Guadalupe Aguilar, 71, who attends Mass daily at the church, remembers praying for the priest in front of the church.
When Varghese, a native of Kerala, India, started at the church, about 1½ years before the stabbing, some parishioners in the predominantly Hispanic congregation had a little trouble understanding him, Aguilar said. After Varghese was stabbed, the membership was all behind the priest, he said.
“The faith is the same no matter what language you speak or what country you are from,” Aguilar said. “It’s about adoring and praising God.”
Varghese believes their prayers saved his life.
“So many thought I was going to die because of the serious wounds,” Varghese said. “The kidney, both sides of my artery, my neck, my cheek, my chest. It was prayer. I believe prayers saved me.”
While Varghese has been on the mend, on Saturdays and Sundays parishioners have had regular get-togethers with their priest to give thanks that Varghese survived, Aguilar said.
“We need to let him know how much we would have missed him and how thankful we are,” he said.
The stabbing left its imprint on the small town church.
Altar boys Anthony Sanchez, 14, and Andrew Sanchez, 12, recalled that their grandfather was one of the first on the scene following the stabbing. As they huddled in the doorway Friday watching the rain after Mass, they said it was their first glimpse of real violence.
Altar boy Joseph Mejias, 8, standing in the shadow of his father Mike Mejias’ legs, nodded solemnly when asked if he remembered that day.
Mejias said his son was inconsolable after the stabbing.
“He took it so hard,” Mejias said. “He loves Father Shaji. He cried a lot.”
While Varghese was in the hospital, Mejias and his son visited, though the boy did not get to see the priest because he was still in bad shape.
Other priests who gathered at the hospital took the boy, who had been crying nonstop for three days, under their wing, Mejias said. After they spoke to him, Joseph quit crying, Mejias said.
Explaining the stabbing to a third-grader was tough, he said.
“I just explained life to him,” Mejias said. “I told him that some people do bad things in the world.”
While Joseph avoids talking about what happened to Father Shaji, he lights up over the priest’s recovery.
“He makes me feel happy,” Joseph said.
Joseph’s father hasn’t yet found forgiveness for Varghese’s attacker or the stabbing’s impact on his son.
“It’s human nature not to, but of course I’m going to try because it is the right thing to do.”
Varghese chalks up his capacity for forgiveness to his upbringing and more importantly his faith.
He went home to India in August for a month and spent time with his mother, seven brothers and sisters and 14 nieces and nephews. During a visit to his brother’s house, Varghese noticed a picture of Rodriguez in the family’s prayer room.
“I asked, ‘Why do you keep it here,’ and my sister-in-law told me, ‘While we were praying for you, we were praying for him also,’” Varghese said.
His long trip back to Sinton left plenty of time for reflection. He thought about things such as his parish, his vegetable garden and the drought. He doesn’t think about the attack all the time.
But day-to-day actions such as shaving, which irritates the scars on his neck, or stretching, which pulls the scars on his torso, are reminders.
“I have pain here and there,” he said, pointing at knife scars on his neck.
“But here,” he said, pointing to his heart, “I’m not angry at him. In my heart there is nothing other than forgiveness. There is still a scary event in my mind. And it may be months or years before it goes away. But I’m not angry.”
Varghese has not visited Rodriguez in jail, though he said he may as he heals more. He regularly asks parishioners who work at the jail how Rodriguez is doing.
“I pray for him,” Varghese said. “God bless, God forgive David.”
http://www.caller.com/news/2009/sep/12/once-near-death-now-closer-to-god-it-made-my-my/?print=1
Priest stabbed in May recovers in body, mind
By Jaime Powell
Saturday, September 12, 2009
SINTON — Kicked, beaten and stabbed nearly 20 times. Last rites twice in a single day. Still, Father Shaji Varghese harbors no anger toward his attacker.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church could have been the scene of his death four months ago. Instead it’s where he is living one of the most important lessons in the Bible — forgiveness.
“I don’t take this incident as something very bad because this incident taught me so many things,” Varghese said. “It made my vocation more stronger, my loyalty toward God more stronger. I was made more sure that my God is such a caring one. We are not perfect. It made me know that God answers to the prayers and God supports.”
That May 8 morning, David Rodriguez approached Varghese, 42, following Mass asking him to hear his confession. Rodriguez, who has a mentally troubled past, didn’t say anything that led Varghese to believe anything was amiss, the priest said. Varghese listened to the confession.
Minutes later, Varghese was found about 100 yards from the side doorway of the church soaked in his own blood. Rodriguez was arrested about an hour later.
“I was thinking my time was almost over,” Varghese said. “I went to sleep, but on the third day I started seeing people. It was a glad thing to come back to that.”
Rodriguez has remained in the San Patricio County Jail since the stabbing, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is undergoing psychiatric evaluations to determine whether he is competent to stand trial, his attorney David Stith said.
The response from Varghese’s parishioners was immediate — prayer.
“They were stunned,” Varghese said. “And they were scared. I started knowing the community when it happened. This is an incident that brought the community together to pray for a special cause — that is my life. They started working together.”
Guadalupe Aguilar, 71, who attends Mass daily at the church, remembers praying for the priest in front of the church.
When Varghese, a native of Kerala, India, started at the church, about 1½ years before the stabbing, some parishioners in the predominantly Hispanic congregation had a little trouble understanding him, Aguilar said. After Varghese was stabbed, the membership was all behind the priest, he said.
“The faith is the same no matter what language you speak or what country you are from,” Aguilar said. “It’s about adoring and praising God.”
Varghese believes their prayers saved his life.
“So many thought I was going to die because of the serious wounds,” Varghese said. “The kidney, both sides of my artery, my neck, my cheek, my chest. It was prayer. I believe prayers saved me.”
While Varghese has been on the mend, on Saturdays and Sundays parishioners have had regular get-togethers with their priest to give thanks that Varghese survived, Aguilar said.
“We need to let him know how much we would have missed him and how thankful we are,” he said.
The stabbing left its imprint on the small town church.
Altar boys Anthony Sanchez, 14, and Andrew Sanchez, 12, recalled that their grandfather was one of the first on the scene following the stabbing. As they huddled in the doorway Friday watching the rain after Mass, they said it was their first glimpse of real violence.
Altar boy Joseph Mejias, 8, standing in the shadow of his father Mike Mejias’ legs, nodded solemnly when asked if he remembered that day.
Mejias said his son was inconsolable after the stabbing.
“He took it so hard,” Mejias said. “He loves Father Shaji. He cried a lot.”
While Varghese was in the hospital, Mejias and his son visited, though the boy did not get to see the priest because he was still in bad shape.
Other priests who gathered at the hospital took the boy, who had been crying nonstop for three days, under their wing, Mejias said. After they spoke to him, Joseph quit crying, Mejias said.
Explaining the stabbing to a third-grader was tough, he said.
“I just explained life to him,” Mejias said. “I told him that some people do bad things in the world.”
While Joseph avoids talking about what happened to Father Shaji, he lights up over the priest’s recovery.
“He makes me feel happy,” Joseph said.
Joseph’s father hasn’t yet found forgiveness for Varghese’s attacker or the stabbing’s impact on his son.
“It’s human nature not to, but of course I’m going to try because it is the right thing to do.”
Varghese chalks up his capacity for forgiveness to his upbringing and more importantly his faith.
He went home to India in August for a month and spent time with his mother, seven brothers and sisters and 14 nieces and nephews. During a visit to his brother’s house, Varghese noticed a picture of Rodriguez in the family’s prayer room.
“I asked, ‘Why do you keep it here,’ and my sister-in-law told me, ‘While we were praying for you, we were praying for him also,’” Varghese said.
His long trip back to Sinton left plenty of time for reflection. He thought about things such as his parish, his vegetable garden and the drought. He doesn’t think about the attack all the time.
But day-to-day actions such as shaving, which irritates the scars on his neck, or stretching, which pulls the scars on his torso, are reminders.
“I have pain here and there,” he said, pointing at knife scars on his neck.
“But here,” he said, pointing to his heart, “I’m not angry at him. In my heart there is nothing other than forgiveness. There is still a scary event in my mind. And it may be months or years before it goes away. But I’m not angry.”
Varghese has not visited Rodriguez in jail, though he said he may as he heals more. He regularly asks parishioners who work at the jail how Rodriguez is doing.
“I pray for him,” Varghese said. “God bless, God forgive David.”
http://www.caller.com/news/2009/sep/12/once-near-death-now-closer-to-god-it-made-my-my/?print=1
9/11/09
Good & Bad Ways To Evangelize
The term "evangelize" means to spread the Gospel. The term "witness," in this context, means to share what you have seen or have come to know about Jesus.
I see the different ways that people evangelize and sometimes I think they are doing it right and other times I think they are doing it wrong. It's not really about the result of the person getting saved or not that determines whether or not you witnessed correctly, but how the witness is witnessing. I've compiled a list of bad ways to witness and good ways to witness just based on my own personal experiences, thoughts and of course examples from the Bible.
Bad Ways To Witnessing
1. For example, when someone notices someone doing something immoral and they suddenly go up to that person and say that they are going to hell, that is a really bad way of witnessing. You are not witnessing properly at all because for 1) you are leaving out half of the Gospel message, 2) you are not being loving and 3) you are not being wise. That other person most likely isn't going to get anything good out what you just told them. This is like those people that hold up those signs on the side of the road that say "God doesn't love fags" or something like that. That is horrible because 1) it's not true and 2) you're not telling them the Gospel, 3) it's deragatory, name-calling and 4) no one is going to get anything good out of that.
2) Another type of bad witnessing is involving yourself in the sins of others, such as getting high on drugs or getting drunk, in an attempt to "buddy up" with the unbelievers so that they will like you and want to be like you, the Christian. That is really foolish because 1) you are being a bad influence on them, not a good one, sending them the message that it's alright to do immoral things and 2) they can see right through you, they know that being a Christian means being "goodie-goodie" and if they see you doing these things they will either think you're a hypocrite or just a fool or a drag, they won't have as much respect for you. When Jesus "ate with sinners" he didn't commit their sins, He simply chose to be around them in order to reach out to them. That is the correct way to hang around unbelievers.
3) Trying to force someone to go along with Christianity. Even God doesn't do this. He offers a loving hand. If people reject Him they will go to hell as a natural result of dying in their sins with no savior, but He doesn't force anyone to believe in Him. That is love.
Good Ways To Witness
1) Telling people your "testimony" (story of how you got saved).
2) Showing them the law (10 Commandments) so they can realize their sin and then showing them the Gospel so that they know how to receive forgiveness for their sins.
3) "Street-style" preaching where you stand on the street or go to a mall or store parking lot, for example, and pass out Gospel tracts and talk to people. A lot of "street-style" preachers stand someone and just start raising their voice loud enough for others to hear and they go on with a message that ultimately points towards a need for a savior.
4) Through a story, such as a parable, or art. Revealing the Gospel through artistic expressions. Telling stories to people where the ultimately message is the Gospel.
5) Answering any peoples questions about religion, spiritual issues, life after death, the Bible, etc. etc. that you come across wherever.
6) The kind where you try to build up a relationship. Say you know someone or you get to know someone. You pray for them. You try to be a good influence around them. You might invite them to church. You might have discussions with them about the Christian faith. You drop hints sometimes, but not too often so that you don't come off as pushy. For example, you might give them a Christian book or DVD that you have and tell them how good you think it is or send them a card for their birthday or if they tell you about some difficulty in their life you try to encourage them and say that you will pray for them or you offer them a ride home if they need it. In other words, the unbeliever seeing your Christianity through your good works. Witnessing through your life. At some point this person will become more and more open to the Light until, hopefully, they become open enough for you to deliver the Gospel message.
7) Where people go up to someone and just start talking about random things and then cleverly swerve the conversation into a discussion of spiritual matters. This ultimately can lead to you being able to deliver the Gospel message.
I see the different ways that people evangelize and sometimes I think they are doing it right and other times I think they are doing it wrong. It's not really about the result of the person getting saved or not that determines whether or not you witnessed correctly, but how the witness is witnessing. I've compiled a list of bad ways to witness and good ways to witness just based on my own personal experiences, thoughts and of course examples from the Bible.
Bad Ways To Witnessing
1. For example, when someone notices someone doing something immoral and they suddenly go up to that person and say that they are going to hell, that is a really bad way of witnessing. You are not witnessing properly at all because for 1) you are leaving out half of the Gospel message, 2) you are not being loving and 3) you are not being wise. That other person most likely isn't going to get anything good out what you just told them. This is like those people that hold up those signs on the side of the road that say "God doesn't love fags" or something like that. That is horrible because 1) it's not true and 2) you're not telling them the Gospel, 3) it's deragatory, name-calling and 4) no one is going to get anything good out of that.
2) Another type of bad witnessing is involving yourself in the sins of others, such as getting high on drugs or getting drunk, in an attempt to "buddy up" with the unbelievers so that they will like you and want to be like you, the Christian. That is really foolish because 1) you are being a bad influence on them, not a good one, sending them the message that it's alright to do immoral things and 2) they can see right through you, they know that being a Christian means being "goodie-goodie" and if they see you doing these things they will either think you're a hypocrite or just a fool or a drag, they won't have as much respect for you. When Jesus "ate with sinners" he didn't commit their sins, He simply chose to be around them in order to reach out to them. That is the correct way to hang around unbelievers.
3) Trying to force someone to go along with Christianity. Even God doesn't do this. He offers a loving hand. If people reject Him they will go to hell as a natural result of dying in their sins with no savior, but He doesn't force anyone to believe in Him. That is love.
Good Ways To Witness
1) Telling people your "testimony" (story of how you got saved).
2) Showing them the law (10 Commandments) so they can realize their sin and then showing them the Gospel so that they know how to receive forgiveness for their sins.
3) "Street-style" preaching where you stand on the street or go to a mall or store parking lot, for example, and pass out Gospel tracts and talk to people. A lot of "street-style" preachers stand someone and just start raising their voice loud enough for others to hear and they go on with a message that ultimately points towards a need for a savior.
4) Through a story, such as a parable, or art. Revealing the Gospel through artistic expressions. Telling stories to people where the ultimately message is the Gospel.
5) Answering any peoples questions about religion, spiritual issues, life after death, the Bible, etc. etc. that you come across wherever.
6) The kind where you try to build up a relationship. Say you know someone or you get to know someone. You pray for them. You try to be a good influence around them. You might invite them to church. You might have discussions with them about the Christian faith. You drop hints sometimes, but not too often so that you don't come off as pushy. For example, you might give them a Christian book or DVD that you have and tell them how good you think it is or send them a card for their birthday or if they tell you about some difficulty in their life you try to encourage them and say that you will pray for them or you offer them a ride home if they need it. In other words, the unbeliever seeing your Christianity through your good works. Witnessing through your life. At some point this person will become more and more open to the Light until, hopefully, they become open enough for you to deliver the Gospel message.
7) Where people go up to someone and just start talking about random things and then cleverly swerve the conversation into a discussion of spiritual matters. This ultimately can lead to you being able to deliver the Gospel message.
Metric - Help I'm Alive (Album Version)
I tremble
Theyre gonna eat me alive
If I stumble
Theyre gonna eat me alive
Can you hear my heart beating like a hammer, beating like a hammer
Help, Im alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer
Hard to be soft, tough to be tender
Come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train
Help, Im alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer, beating like a hammer
If youre still alive
My regrets are few.
If my life is mine,
what shouldnt I do?
I get wherever Im going,
I get whatever I need
while my bloods still flowing
and my heart still beats.
Help, Im alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer
Hard to be soft, tough to be tender
Come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train
Help, Im alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer, beating like a hammer
Help, Im alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer.
9/10/09
Beware of false teachers...
Beware: There are so many false teachers in this world to be cautious of. "The blind followers of the blind" (Matthew 15:14). Those who lack the knowledge and/or strength of the Word of God are trapped by their deception. The Bible holds the real truth. The worse of the false teachers are those that claim to be Christian, but are hurting others with their deception and lies, leading them to dangerous and detrimental places. They twist the Word of God to fit their own agenda and it's an outright lie. Again I say, "Beware."
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15,16)
"And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9)
"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves . Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31)
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
"But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed." (2 Peter 2:1-3)
"This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:15-18)
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." (Titus 3:10-11)
I warn you in love. I pray for a hedge of God's divine protection around you, and that you will see the truth and that the truth will set you free. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15,16)
"And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9)
"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves . Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31)
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
"But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed." (2 Peter 2:1-3)
"This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:15-18)
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." (Titus 3:10-11)
I warn you in love. I pray for a hedge of God's divine protection around you, and that you will see the truth and that the truth will set you free. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
9/8/09
Come To Jesus - A Tribute To My Late Grandpa
The first year I became a Christian I started to evangelize to my Grandpa. I wasn't sure if he believed or not, but he was a very stubborn person when it came to certain things and very set in his ways. He wasn't the kind to show his love through hugs and saying i love you, but he we knew that he loved us very much. I tried to be very loving and respectful when speaking. I tried to talk to him about the Gospel over the phone, but he never liked talking about his personal beliefs. He said that his worldview was fine. That was my first attempt. Later on, I tried to write to him using the style of evangelization that I saw Ray Comfort/Kirk Cameron do where they start off with the 10 Commandments. But, my grandpa wouldn't read the whole thing. He said that he had his own religion. Then, I tried doing it over the phone again, and this time he really didn't like it. He felt offended like as if I thought he was a bad person and he was worried that I would try talking to him about it again.
So then I didn't speak to him about it for a long time. I did try to drop hints here and there, like I left a Gospel track at his house one time. A couple of times I invited him to church. A few times I said that I would pray for someone he was talking about who had a lot of health problems. He seemed to appreciate that. He was becoming more and more physically weak and frail. Eventually, he became so bad that he couldn't hardly walk or eat anything. He went into the hospital and then a rehab hospital. My family and I visited him in the hospital and we felt like this might be our last opportunity to reach out to him with the Gospel. We had a lot of distractions, like doctors coming in and out of the room and stuff like that. There was a chaplain that previously tried to talk to my grandpa and he said some very un-Christian things that I don't remember. All of this seemed like the devil's way of trying to prevent what my family was trying to do.
Anyway, over a few hours we were able to speak to him about the Gospel and he had a couple of questions that we tried to answer, but it was really like not important in terms of salvation and we were trying to steer it back to the main focus on him and salvation. We told him how we felt. My dad was like in tears telling my Grandpa that he wanted to see him in Heaven and stuff. He talked about Jesus. I told my grandpa the Gospel message. Then, we asked him if he would like to accept. He said that being in the hospital near death made him think about his life and some of the things he felt bad about his character that he regretted and stuff. I knew God had been working on his heart and I had been praying for Him too for a long time. My grandpa accepted Jesus. Later he told us that he had already done that and was baptized in a church when he was 12, but he was 92 at this point and had fallen away for so many years. So, if he really was saved then this was a re-dedication. Praise God.
This occurred in october 2008 and he passed away about two weeks later. It was very hard because he was really the head of our very small family. But, he was in so much pain physically from being so weak and frail at this point in his life that in a way it was good for him to go and we know that he's in Heaven with Jesus. He was 92 and so he lived a long life and he was very healthy up until the last few years of his life, so considering that he did really well being elderly. My Dad had to take care of all the arrangements and everything and it was like a huge thing because he went up to just go take care of some things where my grandpa lived and suddenly the next morning he passed away. On the way home my Dad was listening to the radio and he heard a song called "Come To Jesus" by Chris Rice. At one point in the song the lyrics go "so fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus." And it was like God had given that song to my Dad just for that very time.
9/6/09
Before The Throne Of God Above
Shane And Shane
Before The Throne Of God Above lyrics
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!
Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!
One in himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by his blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God
9/5/09
The Romans Road To Salvation
The ROMANS ROAD....is a pathway you can walk.
It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin.
We were born under the power of sin's control.
- Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."
Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.
- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.
Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't
earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.
- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in
that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"
When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us!
- Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you!
Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!"
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!
Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door,
ask Him to come into your heart.
It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin.
We were born under the power of sin's control.
- Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."
Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.
- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.
Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't
earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.
- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in
that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"
When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us!
- Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you!
Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!"
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!
Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door,
ask Him to come into your heart.
How do I personally deal with non-believers?
I just try to be a voice of love and truth to everyone, plus be prayerful. It's important to not be too pushy, but still make an effort to reach out to them. I can't do anymore than that. If they still don't want to accept God's love and truth then that is their problem. I feel bad for them and I continue to pray for them, but it's not my fault if they won't accept when I've done all that I can do for them.
I also look at it like sometimes they won't accept at first, it comes in little bits like a mustard seed and then God can take that and it can grow and grow and that person can start to become more softened for the Gospel. So I pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit and for God to help the seed to grow and to soften their hearts for the Gospel and that everything in their life will somehow bring them closer to Him.
Also, for a non-believer my point is to help them realize the Gospel message first, not get into arguments about certain issues within Christianity or whatever. Because to me that is like beating around the bush. I'm trying to avoid foolish controversies and stuff like that (Titus 3:9-11). I try to refrain from that as much as I can when reaching out to non-believers. I also try to think of what I was like before I became a Christian, which wasn't that long ago. I needed to hear the Gospel in love, not someone going around and nitpicking at a particular sin I was doing. That would have just angered and isolated me, not helped me to realize the Gospel message of salvation.
Someone out there on the Internet cared enough to explain the Gospel message on their website. Somehow I was led to that website and that's when I first knew and understood the Gospel message. God had been working on my heart for a long time and I had finally prayed to God to show me the truth, what to believe in. When I came upon that website (which I forgot the name of it a very long time ago) that's when I came to know the truth and the truth set me free. I gave my life to Jesus that night. It wasn't prayer and it was even just being sorry for my sins that saved me. I had already done that and nothing changed. That was just part of it. The thing that saved me was Jesus. When I accepted Jesus that is what changed my life. It is a literal miraculous power transformation and renewal that happens inside of you. It's something supernatural. I've never looked back since. This is why I care so much now about using the Internet as a way to reach out to people. For some people it's their only solid connection to the Gospel message.
I also look at it like sometimes they won't accept at first, it comes in little bits like a mustard seed and then God can take that and it can grow and grow and that person can start to become more softened for the Gospel. So I pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit and for God to help the seed to grow and to soften their hearts for the Gospel and that everything in their life will somehow bring them closer to Him.
Also, for a non-believer my point is to help them realize the Gospel message first, not get into arguments about certain issues within Christianity or whatever. Because to me that is like beating around the bush. I'm trying to avoid foolish controversies and stuff like that (Titus 3:9-11). I try to refrain from that as much as I can when reaching out to non-believers. I also try to think of what I was like before I became a Christian, which wasn't that long ago. I needed to hear the Gospel in love, not someone going around and nitpicking at a particular sin I was doing. That would have just angered and isolated me, not helped me to realize the Gospel message of salvation.
Someone out there on the Internet cared enough to explain the Gospel message on their website. Somehow I was led to that website and that's when I first knew and understood the Gospel message. God had been working on my heart for a long time and I had finally prayed to God to show me the truth, what to believe in. When I came upon that website (which I forgot the name of it a very long time ago) that's when I came to know the truth and the truth set me free. I gave my life to Jesus that night. It wasn't prayer and it was even just being sorry for my sins that saved me. I had already done that and nothing changed. That was just part of it. The thing that saved me was Jesus. When I accepted Jesus that is what changed my life. It is a literal miraculous power transformation and renewal that happens inside of you. It's something supernatural. I've never looked back since. This is why I care so much now about using the Internet as a way to reach out to people. For some people it's their only solid connection to the Gospel message.
9/4/09
VOM–USA Prayer Update for September 4, 2009
VOM–USA Prayer Update for September 4, 2009
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
INDIA — Church burned in Andhra Pradesh — VOM Sources
Romans 8:34-36
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “ For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
On Aug. 20, The Best Friends Church building in the village of Mahasamudram in Andhra Pradesh, India, was burned to the ground by suspected Hindu extremists, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. A dedication service for the newly constructed church building had been scheduled for Aug. 30. The pastor constructed the building on his property after hosting the services in his home for seven years. Ask God to protect the pastor’s family who live near the burned church. Pray that the believers of this church will continue to gather together for worship. Pray that those responsible will experience repentance and salvation, just as Paul did.
SOMALIA — Christian Convert Murdered by Extremists — Compass Direct News
Revelation 2:10
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Compass Direct News reports that on Aug. 18, a Christian convert from Islam was shot dead in Bulahawa, Somalia, by members of al-Shabaab, an Islamic extremist group. In early 2009, Ahmed Matan began facing harassment from Muslim extremists who demanded to know why he had expanded his trading business to Mandera, a town in neighboring Kenya. Two weeks before his death, Matan informed the former leader of the underground church he had attended since 2001 that extremists were monitoring his activities and preventing him from working in Kenya. Matan is survived by a wife and three children, ages 7, 4 and 3 months. Pray for those grieving the loss of Matan. Pray that Somali believers will remain faithful even upon threat of death.
BELARUS — Church Evicted — Forum 18 News
Psalm 91:11-16
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
On Aug. 20, New Life Full Gospel Church in Minsk, Moscow, was issued an eviction notice by government officials, forcing them to abandon their church building purchased in 2002, according to Forum 18 News. The church is adamant they do not fear the government’s threats. “We’re here praying and believe God will protect us,” Sergei Lukanin, the church’s lawyer told Forum 18 News. “As a lawyer I believe the state could do anything, including the use of force. But as a believer I rely on God.” Government authorities have not disclosed why the church is being evicted, but have repeatedly refused to grant the church’s application for registration. In 2002, Belarus passed a restrictive religion law that made all unregistered religious activity illegal. New Life Full Gospel Church is one of many churches in Belarus facing increased restrictions by the government. Forum 18 News said the government has fined two other churches since July in the western town of Baranovichi. Ask God to encourage members of New Life Full Gospel Church and for their testimony to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Christ.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
http://www.persecution.com/
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
INDIA — Church burned in Andhra Pradesh — VOM Sources
Romans 8:34-36
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “ For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
On Aug. 20, The Best Friends Church building in the village of Mahasamudram in Andhra Pradesh, India, was burned to the ground by suspected Hindu extremists, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. A dedication service for the newly constructed church building had been scheduled for Aug. 30. The pastor constructed the building on his property after hosting the services in his home for seven years. Ask God to protect the pastor’s family who live near the burned church. Pray that the believers of this church will continue to gather together for worship. Pray that those responsible will experience repentance and salvation, just as Paul did.
SOMALIA — Christian Convert Murdered by Extremists — Compass Direct News
Revelation 2:10
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Compass Direct News reports that on Aug. 18, a Christian convert from Islam was shot dead in Bulahawa, Somalia, by members of al-Shabaab, an Islamic extremist group. In early 2009, Ahmed Matan began facing harassment from Muslim extremists who demanded to know why he had expanded his trading business to Mandera, a town in neighboring Kenya. Two weeks before his death, Matan informed the former leader of the underground church he had attended since 2001 that extremists were monitoring his activities and preventing him from working in Kenya. Matan is survived by a wife and three children, ages 7, 4 and 3 months. Pray for those grieving the loss of Matan. Pray that Somali believers will remain faithful even upon threat of death.
BELARUS — Church Evicted — Forum 18 News
Psalm 91:11-16
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
On Aug. 20, New Life Full Gospel Church in Minsk, Moscow, was issued an eviction notice by government officials, forcing them to abandon their church building purchased in 2002, according to Forum 18 News. The church is adamant they do not fear the government’s threats. “We’re here praying and believe God will protect us,” Sergei Lukanin, the church’s lawyer told Forum 18 News. “As a lawyer I believe the state could do anything, including the use of force. But as a believer I rely on God.” Government authorities have not disclosed why the church is being evicted, but have repeatedly refused to grant the church’s application for registration. In 2002, Belarus passed a restrictive religion law that made all unregistered religious activity illegal. New Life Full Gospel Church is one of many churches in Belarus facing increased restrictions by the government. Forum 18 News said the government has fined two other churches since July in the western town of Baranovichi. Ask God to encourage members of New Life Full Gospel Church and for their testimony to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Christ.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
http://www.persecution.com/
Love God's Way
Love God's Way
By: Charles F. Stanley
In the 105 verses in 1 John, love is mentioned more than forty times. That’s a lot of verses in such a short epistle about love. With seven words, however, the apostle John summarizes his teaching on this important topic, “We love, because He first loved us.” We love Him because He first loved us, and we love others because He first loved us.
Love starts and stops with God. He is the Author. He created it out of His very nature, and He desires that we share and experience this wonderful gift to humankind.
When you think about it, our similarities to God are few. We are not omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent. But God is love, and He wants us to share that attribute with Him and with others. What a marvelous privilege! We are most like God when we love.
I think it is interesting to compare the most familiar verse in the Bible with another verse that John wrote. Most people can quote John 3:16, but look at 1 John 3:16: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
I understand that the numbers or references on the verses are not in the original, but the two 3:16 verses have a complementary message: love gives sacrificially. The world knows little about sacrificial love.
In defining love, I needed to provide three different definitions to give the full scope. That, in itself, shows how complex the subject is.
Agape is the highest form of love. Of the many times love is referred to in the New Testament, most of the references are to agape love. This is what John 3:16 speaks about. This love is totally sacrificial and committed to the well-being of another. This is God’s kind of love. It is a fruit of the Spirit who indwells us (Gal. 5:22). When we look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, we can look at it like this:
1. Joy is love enjoying.
2. Peace is love resting.
3. Patience (or longsuffering) is love waiting.
4. Kindness is love reacting.
5. Goodness is love choosing.
6. Faithfulness is love keeping its word.
7. Gentleness is love being able to empathize.
8. Self control is love being in charge.
This kind of love is not something we can work up on our own; it is an outflow of the Holy Spirit.
The second kind of love mentioned is phileo. This is a brotherly kind of love. The Bible says to “be kindly affectionate to one to another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Rom. 12:10). Furthermore, we are admonished to “let brotherly love continue” (Heb. 13:1), implying that it can diminish if not watched over and cultivated. This healthy form of love should saturate the body of Christ.
The third type of love is eros. This is sensual or sexual love. Though this word is not used specifically in Scripture, it is certainly implied through the admonitions concerning marriage. Although the world has tried its best to distort this—and this seems to be the type of love that is written about, sung about, and acted out the most—God invented eros love for the most intimate part of marriage.
I think that sums up the definitions and also gives us the background that John was setting for us. It is amazing that love is so complex we cannot define it easily, and yet John, “that apostle whom Jesus loved,” summarizes it so beautifully by saying, “We love, because He first loved us.”
Adapted from "Charles Stanley's Handbook for Christian Living" (2008).
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5413351/k.A4DA/Going_Deeper_Love.htm
By: Charles F. Stanley
In the 105 verses in 1 John, love is mentioned more than forty times. That’s a lot of verses in such a short epistle about love. With seven words, however, the apostle John summarizes his teaching on this important topic, “We love, because He first loved us.” We love Him because He first loved us, and we love others because He first loved us.
Love starts and stops with God. He is the Author. He created it out of His very nature, and He desires that we share and experience this wonderful gift to humankind.
When you think about it, our similarities to God are few. We are not omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent. But God is love, and He wants us to share that attribute with Him and with others. What a marvelous privilege! We are most like God when we love.
I think it is interesting to compare the most familiar verse in the Bible with another verse that John wrote. Most people can quote John 3:16, but look at 1 John 3:16: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
I understand that the numbers or references on the verses are not in the original, but the two 3:16 verses have a complementary message: love gives sacrificially. The world knows little about sacrificial love.
In defining love, I needed to provide three different definitions to give the full scope. That, in itself, shows how complex the subject is.
Agape is the highest form of love. Of the many times love is referred to in the New Testament, most of the references are to agape love. This is what John 3:16 speaks about. This love is totally sacrificial and committed to the well-being of another. This is God’s kind of love. It is a fruit of the Spirit who indwells us (Gal. 5:22). When we look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, we can look at it like this:
1. Joy is love enjoying.
2. Peace is love resting.
3. Patience (or longsuffering) is love waiting.
4. Kindness is love reacting.
5. Goodness is love choosing.
6. Faithfulness is love keeping its word.
7. Gentleness is love being able to empathize.
8. Self control is love being in charge.
This kind of love is not something we can work up on our own; it is an outflow of the Holy Spirit.
The second kind of love mentioned is phileo. This is a brotherly kind of love. The Bible says to “be kindly affectionate to one to another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Rom. 12:10). Furthermore, we are admonished to “let brotherly love continue” (Heb. 13:1), implying that it can diminish if not watched over and cultivated. This healthy form of love should saturate the body of Christ.
The third type of love is eros. This is sensual or sexual love. Though this word is not used specifically in Scripture, it is certainly implied through the admonitions concerning marriage. Although the world has tried its best to distort this—and this seems to be the type of love that is written about, sung about, and acted out the most—God invented eros love for the most intimate part of marriage.
I think that sums up the definitions and also gives us the background that John was setting for us. It is amazing that love is so complex we cannot define it easily, and yet John, “that apostle whom Jesus loved,” summarizes it so beautifully by saying, “We love, because He first loved us.”
Adapted from "Charles Stanley's Handbook for Christian Living" (2008).
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5413351/k.A4DA/Going_Deeper_Love.htm
Created To Love
Created To Love
By Charles F. Stanley
Have you ever wondered if your life has a purpose? The Word of God says it does—one that is both noble and desirable: Every believer was created by God to love and be loved.
God loves you personally and individually, without limit or qualification. He desires to shower you with His love. Let me assure you of several things regarding His affection for you:
God’s love is the most important thing we can know about Him.
The very essence of God’s being—in other words, His personality and nature—is love (1 John 4:8). It is the reason Jesus came to earth, lived a victorious life, and then died to restore man’s relationship with God (John 3:16). The most important decision we can ever make is to receive God’s love.
The Lord’s affection is absolute, unwavering, and sacrificial. Moreover, God’s love is not subject to favoritism. He loves the sinner as much as He loves the saint. In our human pride or our desire to be “somebody special,” we may find that fact difficult to swallow. But God loves each person with the same quantity and quality of love.
The Bible tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and the sun shines on the righteous and the wicked (Matt. 5:45). This means that with or without faith in God, everyone experiences certain benefits and blessings from Him. But the person who receives Jesus as Savior is in a position to reap the blessings that accompany an outpouring of love into his or her life.
The Lord’s love is not based upon what we do, what we have, or what we achieve. He gives it to us simply because we are His creation. You cannot win or earn more of God’s favor—His unconditional love has nothing to do with performance. Accept and delight in that truth.
The most important response we can make is to reciprocate God’s love.
John said it simply and eloquently: “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19, NKJV). And Jesus said the first and foremost commandment was this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). The only acceptable response to God’s great outpouring of love toward you is to love Him back.
We can choose to rebel. And while this doesn’t affect the nature of God’s feelings, it will change us. Those who refuse to acknowledge and receive divine love cut themselves off from great blessing. Not only that, but such individuals typically yield to anger, hatred, and bitterness. To harden the heart against God’s love is the supreme act of rebellion—in doing so, a person hurts himself far more than he hurts others. Loving God, on the other hand, brings good into one’s life.
Satan constantly tries to convince us that if we follow Jesus, we will have to give up personal freedom, identity, and pleasure. But those who live apart from God’s love inevitably discover they are not any freer because of their rebellion. If they don’t go to jail, they end up in emotional or psychological prisons—caught in addiction or trapped by feelings of resentment. The longer they live separated from the Lord’s love and mercy, the less pleasure they find in life. In that situation, it is easy to become cynical, jaded, critical, and in the end, apathetic to nearly everything.
But those who embrace and reciprocate God’s love enjoy inner freedom they never imagined. They develop as individuals, discovering hidden talents and abilities. They experience true delight in God’s creation and know the joy of perpetual discovery.
When we choose to love and obey God, we can be sure He will guide us toward doing what will bring about the greatest fulfillment in life.
God’s love is our ultimate reason to hope.
If we know with certainty that God loves us and desires good for our lives, what is there to fear? Hope in Christ is for everyone. It compels us not to remain in a state of dread, doubt, or worry but to seek transformation by the Holy Spirit’s power. Trust encourages us to to anticipate God’s best and look for the dawning of a new day.
Our heavenly Father is generous—even extravagant—in His love. Open your heart and let the Lord shower more of His love and good gifts upon you. You won’t regret yielding your life to Him.
Adapted from “Discover Your Destiny” (1997).
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5412969/k.910A/Created_to_Love.htm
By Charles F. Stanley
Have you ever wondered if your life has a purpose? The Word of God says it does—one that is both noble and desirable: Every believer was created by God to love and be loved.
God loves you personally and individually, without limit or qualification. He desires to shower you with His love. Let me assure you of several things regarding His affection for you:
God’s love is the most important thing we can know about Him.
The very essence of God’s being—in other words, His personality and nature—is love (1 John 4:8). It is the reason Jesus came to earth, lived a victorious life, and then died to restore man’s relationship with God (John 3:16). The most important decision we can ever make is to receive God’s love.
The Lord’s affection is absolute, unwavering, and sacrificial. Moreover, God’s love is not subject to favoritism. He loves the sinner as much as He loves the saint. In our human pride or our desire to be “somebody special,” we may find that fact difficult to swallow. But God loves each person with the same quantity and quality of love.
The Bible tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and the sun shines on the righteous and the wicked (Matt. 5:45). This means that with or without faith in God, everyone experiences certain benefits and blessings from Him. But the person who receives Jesus as Savior is in a position to reap the blessings that accompany an outpouring of love into his or her life.
The Lord’s love is not based upon what we do, what we have, or what we achieve. He gives it to us simply because we are His creation. You cannot win or earn more of God’s favor—His unconditional love has nothing to do with performance. Accept and delight in that truth.
The most important response we can make is to reciprocate God’s love.
John said it simply and eloquently: “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19, NKJV). And Jesus said the first and foremost commandment was this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). The only acceptable response to God’s great outpouring of love toward you is to love Him back.
We can choose to rebel. And while this doesn’t affect the nature of God’s feelings, it will change us. Those who refuse to acknowledge and receive divine love cut themselves off from great blessing. Not only that, but such individuals typically yield to anger, hatred, and bitterness. To harden the heart against God’s love is the supreme act of rebellion—in doing so, a person hurts himself far more than he hurts others. Loving God, on the other hand, brings good into one’s life.
Satan constantly tries to convince us that if we follow Jesus, we will have to give up personal freedom, identity, and pleasure. But those who live apart from God’s love inevitably discover they are not any freer because of their rebellion. If they don’t go to jail, they end up in emotional or psychological prisons—caught in addiction or trapped by feelings of resentment. The longer they live separated from the Lord’s love and mercy, the less pleasure they find in life. In that situation, it is easy to become cynical, jaded, critical, and in the end, apathetic to nearly everything.
But those who embrace and reciprocate God’s love enjoy inner freedom they never imagined. They develop as individuals, discovering hidden talents and abilities. They experience true delight in God’s creation and know the joy of perpetual discovery.
When we choose to love and obey God, we can be sure He will guide us toward doing what will bring about the greatest fulfillment in life.
God’s love is our ultimate reason to hope.
If we know with certainty that God loves us and desires good for our lives, what is there to fear? Hope in Christ is for everyone. It compels us not to remain in a state of dread, doubt, or worry but to seek transformation by the Holy Spirit’s power. Trust encourages us to to anticipate God’s best and look for the dawning of a new day.
Our heavenly Father is generous—even extravagant—in His love. Open your heart and let the Lord shower more of His love and good gifts upon you. You won’t regret yielding your life to Him.
Adapted from “Discover Your Destiny” (1997).
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5412969/k.910A/Created_to_Love.htm
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